Introduction for Chapter 26

26 Asia And the Pacific in the Era of Imperialism 1800–1914

> How did Asian leaders respond to the challenges posed by Western imperialism? Chapter 26 examines the impact of nineteenth-century Western imperialism on Asia. At the beginning of the century Spain, the Netherlands, and Britain had colonies in the Philippines, modern Indonesia, and India, respectively. By the end of the century most of the southern tier of Asia, from India to the Philippines, had been colonized. Not all the countries in Asia were reduced to colonies. Although Western powers put enormous pressures on China, it remained politically independent. Much more impressively, Japan became the first non-Western nation to meet successfully the many-sided challenge of Western expansion. By the end of this period Japan had become an industrialized, imperialist power itself.

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Rammohun Roy The expansion of British power in India posed intellectual and cultural challenges to the native elite. Among those who rose to this challenge was writer and reformer Rammohun Roy, depicted here. (V&A Images, London, UK/Art Resource, NY)

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1825 1869
King
783
Minh Mang outlaws teaching of Christianity in Vietnam
Suez Canal opens
1830 1872
Dutch institute Culture System in Indonesia Universal public schools established in Japan
1839–1842 1885
Opium War Foundation of Indian National Congress
1851–1864 1894–1895
Taiping Rebellion in China Japan defeats China in Sino-Japanese War and gains control of Taiwan
1853 1898
Commodore Perry opens Japanese ports to foreign trade United States takes control of Philippines from Spain
1857 1900
Great Mutiny / Great Revolt by Indian sepoys against British rule Boxer Rebellion in China
1858 1904
British Parliament begins to rule India Japan attacks Russia and starts Russo-Japanese War
1859–1885 1910
Vietnam becomes a colony of France Korea becomes a province of Japan
1867 1912
Meiji Restoration in Japan China’s monarchy is replaced by a republic